Regular Sunscreen Use Reduces Skin Aging

A new, multi-year study links sunscreen with fewer wrinkles.

If you’re among the multitude of runners who dash out the door without sunscreen, a new study may motivate you to start lathering up. Researchers in Australia have found that frequent sunscreen use reduces the onset of wrinkles and sagging skin caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Participant were randomly assigned to one of two groups: those told to use sunscreen at their discretion, or those instructed to apply sunscreen on their face, neck, arms and hands daily and to reapply after sweating, bathing or being outside for more than a few hours.

Adults older than 55 were excluded from the study in order to ensure the effects were due to sun exposure rather than chronological aging.

Participants were asked to use broad-spectrum lotions with SPF 15 or higher. Broad-spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVB and UVA rays. (U.S. consumers will start seeing this term more frequently since it is now part of the FDA’s sunscreen regulations.)

To assess signs of sun aging, researchers took silicone molds of participants’ hands before and after the multi-year study. The researchers also weighed participants’ sunscreen bottles every three months to monitor compliance.

The study found that adults who regularly used sunscreen over a 4.5-year period had smoother skin. Overall, the frequent sunscreen users had 24% less skin aging due to sun than the discretionary users.

“The daily sunscreen group showed no detectable increase in skin aging,” the authors write, adding that while previous research has shown that sunscreen can reduce skin cancer risk, the new study links sunscreen use with a more youthful appearance.

Previous research has shown similar benefits in hairless mice, but this is the first study to conclude that sunscreen can lower skin aging in humans.

The researchers note that it is unclear if their results would have differed if sunscreens with higher SPF levels had been used. However, they add, the sun-protection factor is less important in guarding against harmful rays than liberal and frequent sunscreen use.